HUYTON MAN SENTENCED AFTER CRUELLY THROWING DOG OVER FENCE

The article reports on Kieran O'Connor, aged 35, who was caught on CCTV hurling his pet dog, Prince, over the front gate of his house in Huyton. The footage shows O'Connor grabbing the brown male bull breed by the skin on his back and neck, lifting him to shoulder height, and then dumping him over the fence. Despite the shocking incident, the dog appears to recover quickly and runs around afterward. O'Connor then proceeds to open the gate and enters his home. The incident was shared widely on social media, leading to criminal proceedings against O'Connor. He appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on July 2, 2025, where he pleaded guilty to the charge under the Animal Welfare Act for failing to protect his dog from pain and suffering by inflicting physical abuse. He was sentenced to a community order involving 26 programme requirement days, and was ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £114. Additionally, he received a ban from owning or dealing with animals for five years under section 34 of the same law. RSPCA inspector Caren Goodman-James commented that O'Connor did not seem to understand that his actions were wrong and had initially refused to sign Prince over to the charity, necessitating a court order to rescue the dog. The inspector emphasized that animals deserve kindness and respect, condemning such cruelty. Prince was successfully rescued and is now in good care. The case highlighted the importance of public intervention and footage in prosecuting animal cruelty cases.